the Patriarch and for the present put them in a Monasterie but about a yeare after caused them all to be murthered and so Phocas four or fiue yeares together continueth still a murtherer adding to his paricide perjurie and to his perjurie parricide with extreame hatred against the good patriarch Cyriacus that would not approue of such hideous actions But the Roman Pontifex made good use hereof For thereupon and by slattering this Catholike Phocas he obteyned of him the title of Soveraigne Catholike or Vniversall Bishop which from that time to this they all maintaine A fourth noble action was their violent and open usurpations of the Territories and Lands belonging to the Emperours their lawfull Souverains which they gotte partly by the Lombards partly by the French another act of perfidious Treason and rebellion A fifth action was their favouring exciting and countenancing of Subjects to rebell against their lawfull princes and to depose them as they did the French against the Emperors of Greece Pipin against Childerick of France and Advaldus the Lombard against the king his Brother in law all to serue their owne turnes And this also the popes to this day do allow and maintaine still reaping the fruits and enjoying the Territories and lands which they got by these practises A sixth action is their horrible Idolatrie in the erecting and worshiping of Images which howsoever they labour to blanch excuse or defend with subtill or Sophistike distinctions which cannot be proved by the Scripture as they ought to be for Vbi Scriptura non distinguit neque nos distinguere debemus quia sensus nostri enarrationes sine Scripturis testibus non habent sidem yet both at the first beginning and ever since it was still judged to be open and manifest Idolatrie and that not onely by godly Christians vide Agrip. de van sci â— 57 Morton in Apol cath li. 1. cap. 46. lo Pic. Mir. in Apol. as at the first by the Churches of Graecia and Asia in the East and of France and Britaine in the West and by many godly men in particular but also by Turkes and Iewes which do utterly condemne it as it is used by the Papists for meer Idolatrie and unexcusable See the place Esai 41 21 22 23 24. such like and consider how it can be answered by their idle distinctions of Image Idolum latâ—ia donlia c to which we may adde the Canonising of Saints and making them to be publikely invocated in their solemne Leiturgies therein taking upon them another individuall propertie of God who onely maketh Saints and so committing manifold blasphemie joyned with Idolatrie of invocation And a seauenth or last notable action is the publike declaration and proclamation to the world that they hold themselues absolutely lawlesse and that if the Pope neglect his owne Salvation and others and thereby draw millions of soules into hell with him yet no man may judge of him no man may reprehend him These were the first and the generall actions of this seauenth Head of the Septimontan cittie And all of them are justified and mainteyned by the Popes and by all of them with one consent from their first perpetration and beginning unto this day All of them take the benefit all of them do allow and approue of these things magnifying these ther Predecessors justifying their succession from them and mainteyning their Decrees and Actions holding this for a Principle inviolable that they will not confesse themselues to erre in any thing as Thuanus hath observed Thuaâ— Whereupon I demand Whether they do not all of them thereby declare themselues to be that Sonne of Perdition that exalteth himself against and aboue all that is called God or that is worshiped And I demand whether such things haue been done in any other kingdome or nation under heauen and whether we may expect such things to be done by any Turke Iewe Pagan or any other person whatsoever in Rome the place determined in any time to come Now let us see and consider of the particular actors of this Antichristian person during the time of his Raigne which from the former Period must continue for 666 yeares more or thereabout and in everie one of them I desire thee Good Christian to consider which of them all is not Homo peccati sedens in Templo Dei that man of sinne that fitteth in the Temple of God and is worshiped and exalteth himself aboue all that is called God or is worshipped c. And also what may be thought of the whole succession taken together Anno Domini 707 Constantine the Pope would haue his foote to be kissed like another Dioclesian thereby making evident demonstration King of pride if not in words yet in deede that he claymed to be his successor Onuphr And it defence of Images he openly resisted Philippicus the Emperor of Greece But Iustin and Anastasius tyrants and Murderers submitted themselues unto him and approved his Decrees Idolatrie and rebellion This adoration rebellion and Idolatrie the Popes haue continued ever since Anno 720 or thereabouts Gregorie the second and third continued the same Idolatrie and rebellion and caused all Italie to withdraw their obedience from the Emperor Leo. and to deny their Tributes because he had commanded Images to be broken and burned and for the same cause also excommunicated him tooke to themselues the Cottian Alpes Cursing Princes by colour of guift from the Lombards Anno 749 Zacharie incourageth and assisteth Pipin to depose his master Childerick king of France and to take upon him the kingdome of France which was afterwards confirmed by the Popes that followed for which the sayd Pipin gaue to the popes the Exarchat of Ravenna which belonged to the Grecian Emperor Anno 756 Stephen who cofirmed the kingdome of France to Pipin this man would be caried upon mens shoulders which his successors haue continued ever since Anno 757 a notable Schisme wherein Constantine the second gott the papacie by mony and armes This Schisme is reckoned the ninth Anno 772 Adrian the first a valiant defender of Images and ldolatrie Changing He beganne to grant priviledges and dispensations In his time there was held a counsel at Rome wherein the pope with the consent of the Counsell First horn put downe clearly to cashier the Greek Emperors thrust them out of all made Charlemain prince of the Senate Dist 63 can Adrian papa RomaÌ„ c. this was Adrian the first giving unto him the power of investing the pope And as Mornay collecteth out of Sigonius and others the pope acknowledged to hold of him Ravenna and other pieces by fealtie and alleageance adoring him after the manner that was used to the ancient princes Yet no sooner was Charlemayn dead but they wrought upon the good nature of Lewis his sonne and about Anno 816 Stephen procured himself to be chosen and consecrated without consent of the French Emperor
person hath built such Stewes and Brothelhouses for Venerie and Sodomy Wherein whores Sodomites and Fornicators are dayly bred cherished increased and multiplied None but they haue granted pardons faculties and dispensations for such things And if any had done or should do the like may we thinke it possible or credible that he should obteyne such absolute power and reputation of Holynes as the Pope hath to be credited and beleeved in the same Was there ever any Sodomite Aegyptian Babylonian Iew Turke or Infidell so desperately impudent as the Romans haue been not onely in doing such things but in boasting of them and setting forth bookes thereof as of old Virgil Ovid Tibullus Catullus Propertius and of late Casa the noble Archbishop of Sodom Boccate their Conceits upon Orlando Baptista de Albertis Petrus Haedus and manie others Cornel. Agr. de van Sci. cap. 63 64. Vidi ego nuper Italica lingua editum Dialogum utriusque Veneris omnium flagitiosissimum And againe Flagitiosissimi Lenones scelestissimaeque Lenae saepe sub Religionum pellibus delitescunt And hereupon againe I aske Whether this can be applied to any Prince Potentate State or person and whether these prophecies can be otherwise fulfilled The sixth note also is evident She is druncken with the bloud of the Saints and Martyrs of Christ Iesus Peruse the Histories of the Christian Church likewise of all Iewes Turkes Infidels and Pagans that haue been since the beginning of the world and shew me whether ever any nation haue shed so much Christian bloud or haue caused so much to be shed as the Romans haue done To omitt those ten Primitiue Persecutions which remaine without parallell of any other How many millions were slayne in those sacred warres stirred up by the Popes to recover Palestina in the civill warres of Germanie and France How many were massacred in France in the yeare 1572 and not long before in Merindall and Cabrieres How many Reverend Bishops and godly Preachers were burned in England with Men women Children and Infants under pretence of their fierie zeale How many thousands did their great Champion the Duke of Alva destroy in few yeares in the Netherlands what by his Soldjors what by his Hangmen and executioners How many haue they swallowed up in their bloudie Inquisitions To speake nothing of those which they count but viles animas as the Valdenses Hugunots Gewses Lutherans and Calvinists how many Princes and Noblemen haue they made away Egmond Horne and the Prince of Orenge in the Low Countries The Admirall Chastillon Count Rochfocault Teligni the Queene of Navarre and two Kings in France In Spaine Prince Charles besides many others But what talke I of particulars Let all Princes of the world joyne together against the Lord and his Christ as the Iewes and Romans did against our Saviour Yea let the greate Turke and great Divell joyne with them and raigne but three yeares and an half or but for a mans life and spend all that time in murdering the Saints of Christ Iesus and I will yet aske Whether any man can imagine that in so short a time they be able to kill so many godly Christians as haue been murdered and slayne by the power practises and procurement of these Pontifices Max. since they got that Antichristian title And if men will not confesse the truth I will againe appeale to the Earth and aske Whether she in so short a time be able to bring forth so many to be martired And if the Consciences of men be not more dull and dead then the earth I will demand againe of them Whether all these Pontifices maximi and everie one of them be not guiltie of all the Bloudsheds of their Predecessors by Consent Approbation Imitation and prosecution And whether the like can be sayd of any State Potentate prince or person in the world besides Let us yet cast our eyes a litle more abroad and consider of the great destructions of Christian men by Turkes and Saracens It cannot be denyed but these open and professed enemies of Christ haue shedde much Christian bloud yet I thinke if Histories be diligently searched and compared together it may be proved that since the sayd yeare of our Lord 700. the Popes and their Sectaries haue been verie Great if not the chiefest meanes and causes eyther by procurement Qui non defendit nec obsistit si potest infuriae tant est in vitio quam si parentes aut patriaÌ„ aut sucios deserat Cic. lf Offi. or destitution of the Effusion of all or the most part of the Christian bloud that hath been shed by those Miscreants in Europe For what was the meanes whereby the Saracens first prevailed in Asia but the weaknes of the Graecian Empire And what caused that weaknes but the Revolt of Italie and other westerne Countries from the Empire procured by the Pope Whereby the Graecian princes were not onely deprived of many mightie Christian kingdomes but distracted by Rebells at home from defending their subjects abroad And what then brought the Turke into Europe but the weakenes of the same princes when they were neither able to hold their Provinces which they had in Asia nor to suppresse the factions in Graecia Who stirred up the Christian Princes of Britayn Germanie and France to spend their subjects bloud in Syria where so many millions of Christians were slayne and then left them succourlesse to their enemies and sometimes rewarded them with excommunications seditions stirred up against them at home whereby their subjects rebelled and their enemies prevailed Who moved our noble King Richard the first to enter into that Saracenicall warre where he lost so many men Math. Fariâ—â— and yet when he was taken Prisoner by a Christian Prince in his Returne what meanes did the Pope make for his libertie Blesensis for all the pittifull letters of his mother when in the mean space his kingdome was most greevously oppressed and spoyled What help had the Grecian Emperors In conc Lugdun ann 1275. in concil Bouon circa 1439. a'ter which within 16 yeres the Turk tooke Constantinople when with most humble submissions supplications they sollicited the Pope to assist them being Christians against the Turke being the common enemie of our fayth Who was the cause of that wofull and never sufficiently deplored slaughter of Christians at Varna but the persidious Pope and his Cardinall Iulian causing the poore seduced King to violate his oath and league with the Turke What helpe or succour did the Popes giue or procure to those two Invincible Soldjours of Christ Iesus Hunniades and Scanderbeg Historia Scanderb against the Turke though this later with all humilitie in person desired it offering to driue that publike enimie out of Europe if he might haue assistance It is sayd indeed that Pius the second gathered an armie such as it was to help him but nothing came of it and perhaps he lost nothing by the Bargain And
be understood but of the Church of God in Rome and who can be said or ever could be said to sit in that Church as God but the Pope But marke the seauenth and see whether yet againe Rome and the Church of God in Rome be not precisely described It is in the Prophecie of Daniel that beloved Prophet as our Euangelist was the beloved disciple He shall plant saith he the Tabernacles of his Pallace betweene the seas Dan. 11 45. In the Glorious mountaine of Holynes Neither goeth this place alone but commeth with a witnes For the like is said of the King of Tyrus a tipe also of Antichrist in that severe Priest and Prophet Ezechiel Thou hast sayd I am a God Ezek. 28. I sit in the seat of God in the midest of the seas That which Daniel signifyed by setting his Pallace betweene the seas in the glorious holy Mountain that Ezekiel expresseth by sitting in the seat of God in the middest of the seas and whether both these do not prefigure unto us the Church of Rome I desire the Learned to judge It must be a mountaine of Holynes Esa 11 9. and the seate of God which are the proper Titles of the Church in the old Prophets And this church must not be an obscure Psa 2 48. Zach 8 3. or litle but a glorious church and this Glorious church must be betweene two seas How this can be applyed to Tyrus Babylon Ierusalem Constantinople or to any other cittie in the world beside Rome I ask of all that know the two famous seas that imbrace Italie whereof the one is called MarC superum Adriaticum or the Gulfe of Venice the other is Mare Inferum Tirihenum or the Straights both mentioned by Vergil in one verse for the glorie of Italie An mare quod supera memorem quodque alluit infra Betweene these two seas Rome was and is seated which was in the beginning a church truly glorious both for the Martyrdome of many godly men for their constant profession of the truth against Heretikes for I will not detract the least thing from them and for that it was the Imperiall cittie For which cause it was called Prima sedes which was the greatest title that it had for 400 yeares Prosper was first Pope Leo his secretarie But after that Pope Leo the eloquent Orator and Prosper his familiar friend or Secretarie an excellent Poet began to ascribe higher titles unto it Peslem subeuntem prima recidit Archb. of Canterb. in his answer to D. Hill Prosper in lib. de ingratis Marke the statelines of these verses with the resonans of his letters S. P. Q. R. Sedes Roma Petri quae Pastoralis honoris Facta caput mundo quiCquid non possidet armis Religione tenet After this I say and such like Tacitus li. 1. by little and litle taking upon her as Augustus did in taking of the Empire of a church truly Glorious she began to be vain glorious but still glorious for none else could be the seat of Antichrist And it seemes they followed the wit and pollicie of their founder Romulus of whom it is said that he was Livy lib. 1. Tum fâ—ctis vir magnificus tum factorum ostentator haud minor He would loose nothing for lack of seting forth And the like is said of Scipio and other Romans But if any will apply this text to Antiochus and say that he placed the Tabernacles of his Pallace in Ierusalem I will not deny but Antiochus might be signified in Daniell to be the type of Antichrist but if they will say that this place is meant onely of Ierusalem and Antiochus I would desire them to answer me well to these three questions First how the church of God in Ierusalem could be called a glorious church or the temple a glorious temple in those times when it appeareth by the Prophets Hag. 2. that the second temple then standing was as nothing to the former the church was not onely oppressed and persecuted by Antiochus and others Vid. Aug de civ dei l. 18. cap. 45. but devided into sects in it selfe namely the Sadducces Pharisees Essees and others Secondly between what seas is Ierusalem seated True it is the great Midland sea is of the one side but of the other there is none but either Asphâ—ltis or Tiberius or Euphrates which are but pettie flouds to make a sea But granting they might be called seas as they are some times yet where do we read or can we finde that ever Antiochus planted his seat in Ierusalem If they will needs haue a litterall exposition let them shew how and when this was fulfilled But in Rome all these things concurre a glorious church between two seas and a place noted by other prophecies to be that great that septimountaine that Imperiall cittie whereupon Antichrist should sit The same argument will serue to proue that it cannot be meant of Babylon Constantinople or any other cittie For it cannot stand with the Prophecies Yet another objection is made Object If the temple of God and a mountaine of holynes then how Idolatrous Sodom Egypt c. as the place of Antichrist must be if idolatrous how christian This I shall declare more at large when I come to speak of the times of Antichrist Distinguo tempora and there it shall appear how it was Christian and how it fell to idolatrie and other sinnes still reteyning the name and outward profession of christianitie Ans But in the meane space the godly and reverend Bishop Salvianus shall answer for me who sheweth that Rome in his time in the times of her best bishops and under Christian Emperors continued still in her heathenish idolatrie and abhominable filthines It would be too long to recite all his words although most worthy but amongst the rest after that he had verie grauely seriously inveyed against the intollerable exactions and oppressions of those times he addeth these words which I think fit to recite somewhat the more at large for the full clearing of this point and because the booke is not common Atque hoc videlicet Laici tantummodo non quidam etiam Clericorum saeculares tantummodo non mulit etiam religiosi Imo sub specie Religionis vitiis saeculatibus mancipati qui scilicet post veterum flagitiorum probra crimina titulo sanctitatis sibimet inscripto non conversatione aliis sed professione Whom doth he mean by this title of hoâ—ynes nomen tantum denotavere non vitam summam divini cultus habitum magis quam actum existimantes vestem tantummodo exuere non mentem and a litle after Quomodo igitur tales isti paenitentiam se egisse non penitentes sicut etiam illi de conversione ac Deo aliquid cogitasse qui à conjugibus propriis abstinentes à rerum alienarum pervasione non abstinent cum profiteantur continentiam corporum incontinentia
Whether any Prince Potentate State or person ever did the like in the changes of times as these Popes haue done and whether any can do the like especially that shall continue but three yeares and a halfe or one mans life time Again haue not the Popes and everie one of them changed lawes by establishing a New law which they call the Canon Law Haue they not added to their Decrees Decretals Extravagants Clementines and do they not still publish new Bulles Faculties and Dispensations with speciall words of Non obstante I hope no man will put me to proue any of these things unlesse it be some that will make a question whether that rule of Law be to be held which sayth that Notoria non sunt probanda or make a doubt whether the Popes Bulles Faculties Dispensations and other publike Instruments be Notoria Anton. sum part 3. t. 22. Sum. Angel tit Papa Againe do they not teach and mainteyne that the Pope may make New Religions change the ordinances of Generall Councels and dispence with all Lawes both of the Temporall State and of the Church yea with all the Laws of the second Table and with some of the first As when God in his Law sayth It is not lawfull for thee to haue thy Brothers wife Doth not the Pope say It is lawfull by my dispensation When God sayth Thou shalt not kill doth not the Pope say thou mayst kill euen thy Prince when I haue declared him to be an Heretike Is not this to change lawes 〈…〉 and haue not all the Popes for these many hundred yeares now last past with one consent and voice all making one Man of sinne or Lawlesse one arrogated this power and practised it Haue they not all maynteyned and approved the Actions of their Predecessors in doing such things And do they not still maintaine and practise the same So that I need not to say with Salvianus Etsi hoc commune omnibus non faciebat actus faciebat tamen assensus For which of them hath not done it And what else hath been the cause of so many millions of sinnes committed in the Christian world for these many hundred yeares but the Bulles Indulgences Pardons absolutions faculties and dispensations of the Pope together with the perswasion that men had of their Holines Infallibilitie and power to grant such things and that by such Bulles Indulgences Pardons and Dispensations their sinnes were forgiuen Now let any man shew me Whether ever any Prince Potentate State or man haue done the like or whether it be possible for any in time to come to doe so much in this kinde as the Popes haue done namely to make so many Lawes to break and change so many Lawes and to grant so many Bulles faculties and dispensations especially within the compasse of three yeares and an half or one mans life time Concerning their Adulteries which is the fifth I haue sayd sufficiently before onely this one question may be added viz. Where shall we finde Antichrist and Babylon the Great Whore and mother of Whoredomes but in that church and state whose chief Bishop publikely alloweth them because he hath a greate part of his Revennues from them which as some in former times haue accounted hath been to the value of fortie thousand ducats yearly Concerning their Idolatries also I haue spoken before and shall say more hereafter There resteth but the last note which S. Paul giveth 2 Thes 2. and is principally to be observed because the Fathers do agree that it is without doubt spoken of Antichrist viz. That he sitteth in the Temple of God as God boasting that he is God and exalteth himself aboue all that is called God or that is worshiped and yet working with all deceiuablenes of unrighteousnes If any man yet remain doubtfull whether the Pope be that Antichrist let him answer me upon these words Who ever was comparable to the Pope in these things Aug. de civ dei li. 20. Who ever besides him hath sitten in the outward visible Church or Temple of God as chief Bishop head or Governour thereof or upon the Church as commanding ruling and raigning over it or as the Temple of God with such a singular opinion of sanctitie and infallabilitie for all these wayes doth the Father interpret that word as the Popes haue done And whether it is credible that any shall do the like in time to come Whether is there or was there ever any Prince Potentate or person Christian or Iew Turke or Pagan so adored as he hath been and that in the verie Temple and Charch of God and that by the chief Bishops Archbishops Cardinals Patriarks and Primates of the Church Whether can they giue any greater Adoration to God himself outwardly if he were corporally present Or do they giue any greater to the Sacrament in which they affirme the bodie of our Lord Iesus Christ to be really present Again Whether hath any Prince Potentate or person Christian or Iew Turke or Pagan invented or practised such a powerfull meanes to depriue or depose Emperors Kings and Princes as the Popes haue done by their Excommunications Suspensions Interdictions and Decrees Did ever any so practise to discharge Subjects of their Alleageance and oathes to giue kingdomes away to others to crowne and uncrowne Emperors with his foote to treade upon them and yet still reteyne such an opinion of Holynes See more in the Collect. of M. Fox in the end of his first Tome and haue a Cleargie singing to him in the meane while Super Aspidem Basiliscum c. Did ever any do the like and was obeyed in such things and thought to do it lawfully and rightfully And hath he not in these things more then ever any other exalted himself as God aboue all kings and Princes which are called Gods and worshiped See much more of this in M. Downhams Treatise of Antichr l. 1. cap. 5. Yea doth he not exalt himself aboue our Lord Iesus Christ as much as man may doe when he affirmeth that not onely he himself but everie one of his Masse-priests and Friers is able to make the verie carnall bodie of our Saviour which must be worshipped as God Doth he not cause the Sacrament to be caried before him by a Pedarie or Footepriest when he himself is mounted up in a Throne of Majestie and caried upon mens shoulders Doth he not exalt himself aboue our Lord when he weareth the Crucifix which he likewise commandeth to be worshiped as God upon his shoes and pantofles Possevin◠which euen the Rude Moscovite when he heard of it utterly abhorred and detested Doth he not exalt himself aboue God when he taketh upon him to alter the Articles of Fayth and adde to those which were anciently made and declared in the times of the Apostles or soone after by the consent of the Primitiue Church For what is that they haue declared so imperiously subesse Romano Pontisici Extra Com. de